The recent release of the Meng AMX-30 B was quickly followed up by the AUF 1. It uses virtually the same hull as the AMX, so it’s an obvious follow-on to the AMX. In the 1970s, the French Army explored a new self-propelled howitzer to replace the MK F3 155 mm. Development of the AUF 1 was completed in 1972 and production began in 1977 with a run of 440 vehicles. Vehicles were also exported to Saudi Arabia and Iraq. It’s armed with a 155 mm gun with an auto loader and a crew of four.

The kit is composed of eleven sprues molded in green and five sprues of track links and pads molded in brown, a small sprue of clear parts, a small fret of photo etch, and a lower hull and turret. There are decals for two vehicles, though the color profiles only feature one.

Assembly

I wrote the review for the AMX 30, so the assembly of the chassis and tracks is nearly identical to the AMX 30.

I’ve built several B-29s, one of them a Minicraft kit for an earlier review. That being said, I’m still waiting for the moment of inspiration to strike when I get out another B-29 kit and build the Tu-4 “Bull” which is almost identical to the B-29. Or a Washington, also a B-29 with RAF decals.

Minicraft has reissued this kit with very different markings. Little attention has been paid to the early B-29s, which were painted OD. I built this particular kit with the kit markings because it is different, and the markings are certainly visually and historically interesting. In fact, the location of the B-29 I built, Vladivostok, USSR, in November 1944, probably points to it being one of the prototypes for the Tu-4.

Once again, Round 2 Models’ Polar Lights brand brings modelers (young and old alike) another great classic TV subject – the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, complete with everyone’s favorite mystery-solving K-9 and his best friend.

Re-released and touting “All New! Simplified Assembly,” the Mystery Machine comes molded in black, turquoise, and clear plastic, and is accompanied by steel axles, a full-color sticker sheet, and pre-painted Scooby and Shaggy figures.

Assembled in under 30 minutes by 7-1/2 year-old Camden, the kit’s design is simple and fit is pretty good, although he did need an assist from large hands to snap in the clear windshield piece and a couple of drops of super glue to hold the wheels onto the axles.

History

The B5N2 Kate entered service in 1939, replacing the B5N1. The B5N2 was given a more powerful engine and streamlined a bit to try and make it capable of outrunning enemy fighters. The B5N2 was replaced by the B6N Tenzan starting in 1943, but continued to serve right through to the end of the war.

The Kit

After opening the box, I was impressed by what I found – 8 sprues of medium grey and 1 sprue of clear injected plastic, 1 small (but very nice!) fret of photo etch, and, in the bag of PE, 4 white metal parts (for the folded wings). Also, for some reason, the cowling is on a sprue by itself and attached in a most peculiar manner. The plastic is flash free, the clear pieces are very nice, and the detail is above average on this kit. There are a few pin marks but nothing that is un-fixable.

Italian armored equipment has never received the level of coverage than armored equipment from other countries has gotten. This book is part of recent efforts to correct that historical trend.

The book has 3 main sections: the walk-around of three preserved self-propelled units (two M 41 and one M 42), a section with line drawings, and a brief historical summary, with period photos.

The walk-around is clearly the most important part of the book. It covers three surviving Semoventi, the M 41 da 75/18 at Rome, the M 41 da 75/18 at La Spezia (this one is a full running Semoventi), and the M42 da 75/18 located in Rimini. The last one is in German markings and built to German specs, after the Italian surrender.

The pictures are in full color (for a total of 171 pictures among the three Semoventi), including interior pictures. They show every detail from the running gear to the weaponry, armor plates, external brackets, etc.